Alcovia Focus Shield — Privacy Policy

In short

The extension blocks distracting websites while you are in a focus session, and stops when the session ends. It does not record which websites you visit, it sends nothing to anyone other than Alcovia's own servers, and it contains no analytics, advertising or third-party tracking of any kind.

What the extension stores on your device

All of the following is kept in your browser's local extension storage, on your own computer. None of it is uploaded anywhere.

• The current focus session's identifier and the time it is due to end.
• A short-lived access token for your Alcovia account, so the extension can confirm your session is still running. The extension is never given a refresh token, and it cannot sign in on your behalf.
• The list of blocked websites and its version number.
• The address of the Alcovia API and the Alcovia web address the extension is paired with.
• Whether the optional device helper is installed, and which version it is.

What it does not collect

• Your browsing history. Blocking is carried out by Chrome itself through its declarativeNetRequest system. Chrome is given a list of websites to block and applies it; the extension is never told which pages you open. It is not able to observe your browsing even in principle, and it deliberately does not request the permission that would allow it to.
• The content of pages you visit. The extension's page script runs only on Alcovia's own website, and nowhere else.
• Any analytics, usage measurement or advertising data. There are no third-party services in the extension at all.

What it sends, and where

• To Alcovia's servers, over an encrypted connection: a request asking whether your focus session is still running, and a daily request for the current list of blocked websites. Both are ordinary signed-in requests to your own account.
• To the Alcovia Focus Helper on your own computer, if you have chosen to install it: the session identifier, its end time, and the list of websites to block. This never leaves your device, and the helper holds no account details and never contacts Alcovia.

The extension will only talk to Alcovia addresses. Any other destination is refused.

Why the extension asks for broad website access

Chrome asks you to approve access to all websites. This is required so that a blocked page can be replaced with Alcovia's “you're in a focus session” screen, and because the list of blocked websites is kept up to date on the server and so cannot be written into the extension in advance. It does not allow the extension to read the pages you visit.

Keeping and deleting your data

• Everything listed above lives in your browser and is removed when you uninstall the extension.
• Signing out of Alcovia clears the stored access token.
• Ending or completing a focus session clears that session's details.

Students under 18

Alcovia is provided to school students through their school, by invitation. The extension collects nothing about a student beyond what is listed above, and adds no data collection of its own to the Alcovia account it is used with. Questions about a particular student's data should go through their school, or to the address below.

Changes and contact

If this policy changes, the date at the top of this page changes with it. For any question about it, write to info@alcovia.life.